Shrub plant named ‘BAIrift’

ABSTRACT

A new cultivar of shrub rose,  Rosa  ‘BAIrift’, characterized by its flowers that are very full, colored white with an apricot center, and fragrant flowers, its uniformly upright and arching plant habit and its recurrent blooming habit. The new variety has medium green glossy foliage that is resistant to black spot and powdery mildew, is readily propagated on its own roots and is hardy in U.S.D.A. Zones 4 to 9.

Botanical classification: Rosa hybrida.

Variety denomination: ‘BAIrift’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Rosahybrida. The new cultivar will be referred to hereafter by its cultivarname, ‘BAIrift’. ‘BAIrift’ is a shrub rose suitable for landscapeplantings.

The new cultivar of shrub rose is a selection from a controlled breedingprogram conducted by the inventor in Yamhill, Oreg. with a focus tocreate cultivars of roses with greater winter hardiness and improvementsin disease resistance combined with good flower quality.

The new variety of shrub rose, ‘BAIrift’, designated as seedling No99A796 was selected among seedlings derived from a cross made inYamhill, Oreg. in 1999 between the female parent, ‘MACrexy’ (U.S. PlantNo. 6,713) and the male parent, ‘MEIpotal’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 8,841)as the male parent. ‘BAIrift’ was selected as unique and budded ontounderstock in August 2000 and reselected by the inventors for itsdistinct characteristics in 2005.

The new cultivar has been asexually propagated by rooting of softwoodcuttings from a plant grown on its own roots in Yamhill, Oreg. Asexualpropagation determined that the characteristics of this cultivar arestable and are reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and represent thecharacteristics of the new rose as observed for a period of three yearsin Yamhill, Oreg. and further evaluated at several other test sites inthe U.S. These attributes in combination distinguish ‘BAIrift’ as aunique cultivar of shrub rose.

-   -   1. ‘BAIrift’ exhibits very fully creamy white colored flowers        with apricot colored centers with color retention until flower        drop. Classified as white by American Rose Society standards.    -   2. ‘BAIrift’ exhibits a uniform, upright and arching plant habit        with blooms covering the plant throughout the plant.    -   3. ‘BAIrift’ exhibits medium green foliage.    -   4. ‘BAIrift’ is a recurrent bloomer.    -   5. ‘BAIrift’ has shown excellent resistance to rose blackspot        (Diplocarpon rosae) and powdery mildew (Sphaerotheca pannosa        var. rosa).    -   6. ‘BAIrift’ is very fragrant.    -   7. ‘BAIrift’ is hardy in U.S.D.A. Zones 4 to 9.    -   8. ‘BAIrift’ is a vigorous grower and readily propagated by        softwood cuttings and grown on its own roots.

The new cultivar of shrub rose can be readily distinguished from itsparents and other cultivars. The female parent, ‘MACrexy’, is aflorabunda and has flowers that are pink in color and slightly fragrant.The male component of the male parent, ‘MEIpotal’, has carmine pinkflowers with a white eye that are comprised of 5 petals that lackfragrance. The cultivars ‘MEIcoublan’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 6,088) and‘Sea Foam’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 2,463) are the closest comparison roses.They both have similarity to ‘BAIrift’ in that they are shrub roseshaving fully white double flowers. The differ from ‘BAIRift’ in that‘MEIcoublan’ is shorter in height, has a spreading growth habit and iseverblooming while ‘Sea Foam’ has double flowers that are not as full,white and yellow flower buds, and a compact rounded plant habit.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceand distinct characteristics of the new shrub rose, ‘BAIrift’, as grownoutdoors in trail blocks and containers in St. Paul, Minn. and Yamhill,Oreg. The photographs were taken of two to three year-old plants grownon their own roots.

FIG. 1 provides a view of a fully open flower with developing flowerbuds.

FIG. 2 provides a view of a flower bud just prior to opening.

FIG. 3 provides a view of an opening flower with flower buds at variousstages of development.

FIG. 4 provides a view of a mature flower.

The colors in the photographs are as close as possible with digitalphotography techniques available, the color values cited in the detailedbotanical description accurately describe the colors of the new shrubrose.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following is a detailed description of the new cultivar as observedon two year-old container plants and three year-old field-grown plantsas grown outdoors in Yamhill, Oreg. and St. Paul, Minn. The phenotype ofthe new cultivar may vary with variations in environmental, climatic,and cultural conditions, as it has not been tested under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The color determination is in accordance withthe R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London,England, except where general color terms of ordinary dictionarysignificance are used.

-   General description:    -   -   Botanical classification.—Rosa hybrida ‘BAIrift’.        -   Parentage.—Seed parent Rosa ‘MACrexy’, pollen parent Rosa            ‘MEIpotal’.        -   Blooming habit.—Abundant in May and June and recurrent            throughout the growing season.        -   Plant habit.—Upright and arching, uniform.        -   Height and spread.—90 to 125 cm in height and 80 to 100 cm            in spread.        -   Cold hardiness.—U.S.D.A. Zone 4 to 9.        -   Diseases and pests.—High degree of resistance observed to            rose blackspot (Diplocarpon rosae) and powdery mildew            (Sphaerotheca pannosa var. rosa).        -   Propagation.—Softwood stem cuttings, own roots.        -   Growth.—Vigorous and strong.-   Branch Description:    -   -   Stem color.—Young; 144A, maturing; 138A, mature wood; 197A            with areas of 138B showing through.        -   Stem surface.—Young and mature; glabrous and glaucous, adult            wood; mostly glabrous with bark-like ridges.        -   Stem size.—Average of 3 mm in width (range 2 to 7 mm) and up            to 30 cm in height.        -   Thorns.—Narrowly triangular in shape and horizontal to            slightly curved downward, oval base, average of 5 per 5 cm            in number, average of 5 mm in length with a base 5 mm in            length and 2 mm in width, color 138A suffused with 183B and            a base 138A.-   Foliage Description:    -   -   Leaves.—Division is odd-pinnate, arrangement is alternate,            average of 6.5 cm in length and 4.5 cm in width, internode            length is an average of 1.7 cm.        -   Leaflets.—Typically 7 (3 or 5 less common), broadly oval in            shape, rounded to cuneate base, acute to cuspidate apex,            finely serrated margins, glabrous and dull on upper surface            and finely pubescent on lower surface, average of 2.5 cm in            length and 2 cm in width, color: young leaves upper and            lower surface; 137D, mature leaves upper surface; 137A,            mature leaves lower surface; 138A.        -   Rachis.—Average of 4.75 cm in length and 1.2 mm in diameter,            color of upper surface 138A, color of lower surface 144A,            surface is glabrous with small thorns on underside (about 3            per rachis).        -   Stipules.—Parallel with auricle facing outward, average of 1            cm in length and 4 mm in width, color on upper side is 144            apex of 137A and 144C on middle ridge, color of lower            surface is 144A with apex of 137A.        -   Petioles.—Average of 8 mm in length and 1.2 mm in diameter,            color of upper surface 138A, color of lower surface 144A,            glabrous surface.-   Inflorescence Description:    -   -   Inflorescence type.—Fully double flowers arranged in            corymbs.        -   Flower number.—Average of 3 per lateral stem, about 20 per 2            gallon plant.        -   Flower fragrance.—Strong rose scent.        -   Flower longevity.—About 3 to 5 days, depending on            temperature and sunlight exposure.        -   Flower type.—Very fully double.        -   Flower size.—Average of 5 cm in diameter and 3.2 cm in            depth.        -   Peduncles.—Stiff, average of 4.5 cm in length and 2 mm in            diameter, sparsely pubescent, color is 138A, color is 145C            in shaded side.        -   Bracts.—Average of 3 per flower, range from 1 to 3 cm in            length and 3 to 6 mm in width, lanceolate to linear in            shape, serrated margins, acuminate to leaf-like apex, and            cuneate base, sessile, upper surface 137A in color, lower            surface 146A in color.        -   Flower buds.—Ovate in shape, medium in size with an average            of 1.8 cm in length and 1.6 cm in width prior to opening,            color 155B with edges of petals marked with 71C to 71D.        -   Sepals.—5, broadly lanceolate in shape, margin is entire and            tomentose, color of upper surface 191A, color of lower            surface 138A, upper surface is canascent with white tint due            to short white hairs, lower surface is finely pubescent but            satiny, average of 1.8 cm in length and 6 mm in width, apex            is apiculate changing to a small leaf, base is truncate,            aspect is upright in tight bud stage changing to reflexed            when bud opens.        -   Petals.—About 50, drop readily and cleanly, orbicular to            obovate in shape and curled on the apex and sides, upper and            lower surface is glabrous and satiny, entire margin, cuneate            base, apex is typically rounded but occasionally slightly            cuspidate or cordate, average of 2.5 cm in length and 2.5 cm            in width, color: opening flowers upper and lower surface;            155D, fully open flowers upper and lower surface; 155D, base            petal spot; none.        -   Receptacle.—Average of 6 mm in diameter and 6 cm in depth            when flower is fully open, funnel shaped, glabrous and            satiny, 144A in color with 144B.        -   Pistils.—About 20, stigma is an average of 0.5 mm in length,            an average of 1 mm in width and 2A in color, style is an            average of 7 mm in length and 145C in color towards the base            and 63A in color towards apex.        -   Stamens.—About 60, appear deformed, filaments are about 1.1            cm in length and 155A in color, anthers are an average of            3.2 mm in length, an average of 1.3 mm in width and 199B in            color, pollen is 11B in color.        -   Hips.—Round in shape and yellow-orange in color.

1. A new and distinct cultivar of shrub rose plant named ‘BAIrift’ asherein illustrated and described.